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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26172427">A King without memory</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrostedStars/pseuds/Rezia'>Rezia (FrostedStars)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:46:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26172427</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrostedStars/pseuds/Rezia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Something out there gave The Pale King another chance.  Or just really hated him. The Pale King has no memory of his past. He barely understands his strange body along with the odd company that keeps to him.</p><p>he's just a frightened, lost bug with no idea where he wants to be or what he wants.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A King without memory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello, This is my first Hollow knight story. That's right.</p><p>And a big warning will go out; This is all a very big AU. Characters will be OOC and the lore will not be exact. events that should take place don't and others happen differently.</p><p>Also, Zote won't be a total jerk, just egotistical to heck and back.</p><p>Worry not, this story will stay readable to most. except for minor gore and violence.</p><p>Hint for the chapter; italics are what's happening presently. The normal text is the past.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>The knight stares up at the slumped, seemingly dead pale figure.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Using the flat of their nail, they strike their creator over and over and over.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he falls to the ground, crack running across his blank mask, they look at the throne, haul themself into it, and sits comfortably. They mess with their charms and exchange some for others. They eventually get up, collect the other half of the kingsoul charm and leaves.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>The Pale King paces, wings buzzing softly from worry. When he awoke that morning, His root hadn't been there. She had vanished without word or warning and he fears the worst.</p><p>"My king. No sign of Queen Ratia." The retainer reports, shivering slightly from fear.</p><p>"None? She... just left?" The wyrm struggles. His voice breaks.</p><p>"The lady Knight, Dryya, is also missing." The retainer adds.</p><p>"Dismissed... Send Mighty Hegemole to our workshop..." The King commands.</p><p>The Wyrm slowly treads the familiar path to his workshop, hands tucked safely in his sleeves.</p><p>Behind the door, he paces, anxious, and afraid. He knows that his retainers are both worries and afraid of him. They hadn't seen him express his true emotions so openly.</p><p>Hegemole enters, squeezing into the tight room.</p><p>"What is it?" The Knight questions.</p><p>"Ratia and Dryya have gone missing. I know not if they have succumbed to the plague... I'm afraid for them..." The king admits, pacing about the room.</p><p>"They are strong. There isn't any way they'd fall so easily." Hegemole assures. "I may not be the wisest, but I'm at least certain that they are going to be fine."</p><p>The king looks at the large knight for a brief moment, his frantic pacing slowing to a stop. "You're... you're right... They are strong, but I cannot help but worry."</p><p>"I understand. You care about them as Ogrim cares about Isma." Hegemole states.</p><p>"I feel Like a failure of a king and husband..."</p><p>"You haven't been left much room to make choices. Ogrim had a point, but I believe bringing it up wasn't the best idea. We are all uncertain of the future, but we shouldn't doubt you. And I'm sure that it hurt you as much as it had her."</p><p>"We have a pure, empty vessel and all will be well, but yet..." The King stops. "No, nevermind. Keep an eye out for the citizens as always. You... you know what to do if anymore fall to the plague... I will be here or in my chambers if the need arises."</p><p>Hegemol places a gentle hand on his king's shoulder. The great knight leaves, allowing the Pale King to let his facade fall.</p><p>He stayed in his workshop, staring at the tablets and papers littering the table. He began working until he fell asleep, two arms under his head, two atop the many papers and tablets, pen still in his loosened grip.</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>The knight wanders the palace, stumbling upon a small room, holding a cradle and chair under a deep layer of dust. They wander closer to the cradle and jump to peer in. Empty as the chair beside it, making them curious. Why have a cradle if you have no child in it?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They knew the use for them, but it seems the King did not. But what did the Knight expect? They could see how self-absorbed the king was. His mark was all over the ruins. structures like his horned crown, idols, statues. They weren't sure if the stranger even had children to begin with.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>The Pale King walks with his cursed child, into the temple, and just outside of the egg. He tries to look undisturbed or hurt, even afraid. All the while, the Vessel's steps slow and steady, but their body shook with the effort to keep the light in control.</p><p>"Our Pure Vessel, You are the one that will save Hallownest, as well as all surrounding territories. Your sacrifice will not go unnoticed. All here bear witness to this heroic stand, a sacrifice that comes with the cheer of the bugs you give your life and freedom for." The king recites the practiced lines.</p><p>A small voice is crying and screaming from behind the guards. The King's act cracks. He turns to the three behind him.</p><p>"And to our dreamers. They have given their lives to dream forevermore, to protect the vessel and from harm. To keep the infection further contained. You, too, will be revered as saviors to all bugkind. And we thank you for your service." The King bows, earning a bow in turn from two of the three. He doesn't mind. He understood that Herra would never return the gesture. He didn't blame her.</p><p>He turns back to the vessel, looking at them with sadness in his eyes. He didn't know how pure they really were, but it hurt no less. He can feel the familiar burn of unshed tears. He wipes his eyes, no longer worrying about the small group behind seeing his darkening hands. The Vessel is escorted deeper into the egg, followed by the Pale King.</p><p>The pale King took a deep breath as the Pure vessel stands in the middle of the black room that seemingly never ends. The chains were fastened and the seal placed over them and the vessel.</p><p>He watches his child as their mask tilts down. He leaves the eggs, tears beginning to leave his eyes. He stops before the dreamers, two of them showing concern.</p><p>"You were the one who picked the path, so crying about it is pointless," Herra says.</p><p>"We are aware, but that does not mean we cannot mourn. we have lost our wife, children, and many of our dear bugs." The spoke. "we may be a higher being but we are still a bug. And our hearts bleed as we put our child to sleep, and left the rest to die..."</p><p>Herra's face underneath her mask softens, "I know. But You still have a child that needs you. I'm trusting you to take care of her."</p><p>"We will try." The Pale King says softly.</p><p>With that, the seal over the egg is established. The Pale wyrm took his daughter to the palace while the Dreamers head back to their homes to sleep.</p><p>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</p><p>
  <em>The knight moves on, wandering the corridors. They find a large bedroom in a secluded hall, and they step in. The air was heavy, even to them. They found themself stopping in the doorway, unable to go further.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>The Palace has fallen silent despite the staff and retainers. His daughter had left, saying she didn't want to stay with a bug like him. His wife had left in favor of hiding away from her overwhelming guilt over the part she played in the creation of the vessels. His call for help to the Nightmare King remains unanswered.</p><p>The Pale king stays in his room, occasionally leaving to seclude himself in his workshops, address his subjects or to eat.</p><p>as miserable as it was, it was a flawless representation of his state of mind.</p><p>He is now without his only support and is unable to find another source of comfort and reassurance. he hadn't felt so alone since his early youth, in both bodies. It had seemed as if his history is beginning to repeat itself. And it frightens him.</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>The knight stops to look out at the courtyard gardens. They are beautiful. They wonder who'd kept them and why they had been placed there.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They walk carefully amongst the greenery to a bench. Sitting in it, they marvel at how comfortable it is.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>For the first time since the White Lady and his daughter leaving, he steps into the garden he'd worked on as a side project, a gift for the Root, to bring her joy at the palace if she felt not up to the long trip to her own, larger gardens.</p><p>He carefully picks up the watering can and filled it. Slowly, he waters each flower, srub, and vine. He felt at ease for the first time. He almost expects to hear his root's giggle, commenting about how cute he was.</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>The knight stands, seeing something in the grass. The steps over to it and pick it up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A watering can. Blue, as The Lady's eyes. Except it's brighter.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>A scream interrupts the Wyrm's task. He drops the watering can and runs in, finding one of his retainer's attacking another. He charges into the fray and pulls the pair apart, only to see one's eyes are gleaming with infection. He hesitates, forming a dagger. The infected Retainer attacks him and he stabs the retainer with the dagger. Hemolymph begins to coat his hand.</p><p>"M-my king!" The shaken Retainer cries.</p><p>He looks at the young bug, "We trust you're unharmed?"</p><p>"Y-yes, but I thought the infection was over..."</p><p>"As did we. Gather every bug in the throne room. The kingsmoulds and Knights will aid you." The Pale King commands.</p><p>The retainer nods and runs off. The pale King collects the retainer's body and heads to the garden and bury's them, leaving a mark and the retainer's name.</p><p>With that, he makes his way to his throne.</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>The Knight takes note of the Void traces that lead back to the throne room. They're putting the story together. The grave and abandoned watering can, the heavy air of the bedroom, the dreamcatchers...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They knew it was in the dream realm or some semblance of it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>By they needed to find out why. They kept hearing how beautiful and elegant the palace was, but somehow, they knew the palace they're walking in isn't true to the real one.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>As he waits, The Wyrm feels the air grow cold and the light dull. His thoughts halt as the reality of it hits. He rushes about, sealing the palace, leaving only one set of doors open.</p><p>The void comes rolling in, and a brilliant glow halts it.</p><p>"Let us fight in this empty room, leaving my subjects alone."</p><p>When the knights and kingsmoulds arrived, they hear the unmistakable sound of combat. The knights are escorted out of the palace by a single Kingsmould, each given a letter.</p><p>Ze'mere couldn't believe the written words.</p><p>"Return to the safety of our homes?"</p><p>"This can't be right!" Isma cries.</p><p>"He clearly states that we were only to receive these letters if something happens to him."</p><p>"He could need help!" Isma shouts, worried for the king.</p><p>"We must have faith in his strength, Isma. He is not so easily felled. For now, let us do as he asks." Hegemol says softly.</p><p>The two remaining knights nod and move on.</p><p>Once no other soul was there, the Pale king took action, sealing the palace in a dream within the solitary Kingsmould.</p><p>The construct crumbles and a barrier seal shines for only a moment, then fades.</p><p>
  <strong>*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>The knight returns to the throne room. This time, they find something new. A metal object. It looked like a small dirt carver or something. They walk to it and look at it. There was a painting next to it. A tiny child holding the same metal thing in triumph, with a part missing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>How strange. The knight stares at it. They recognize the red cloak of their sister but the it was wrong. The child was too small</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They leave the palace, ready to finish what they started.</em>
</p><p> </p>
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